Vigil Set After Street Racing Accident Kills 3 in Dallas
A candlelight vigil is scheduled for Monday to honor three people who were killed in a street racing crash in Dallas Friday night.
Details of the Dallas Street Racing Accident
According to WFAA, the crash happened in West Dallas around 11:40 pm. Police said that a Range Rover and a Chevrolet Tahoe were traveling at a high rate of speed near the intersection of West Mockingbird Lane and Trinity River.
A witness told police the two vehicles crashed as they drove across a bridge in the 300 block of West Mockingbird Lane. The Tahoe hit a guardrail and went airborne, ultimately crashing into a building and catching fire. The Range Rover struck two telephone poles.
All three occupants of the Tahoe died at the scene. Two people in the Range Rover were taken to a hospital. Police said the occupants of the Range Rover may be charged.
Reports suggest the vehicles were traveling more than 100 mph when the crash happened, and that the driver knew each other.
Dallas Street Racing Facts and Statistics
Dallas police said since January the Dallas Police Department Speeding and Racing Task Force has received 1,400 calls regarding illegal street racing. The task force has arrested nearly 600 people for felonies and misdemeanors.
Last summer, Dallas passed a new city ordinance making it illegal to be a spectator at “street takeover events” in which people shut down streets while vehicles race and do donuts.
Street Racing Statistics
The information below was compiled by StopStreetRacing.org:
- In 2001, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that police listed street racing as a factor in 135 fatal crashes. The total was up from 72 street-racing-related fatalities reported in 2000.
- According to the California Office of Traffic Safety, more than 800 citations for illegal street racing were issued in 2001.
- In San Diego, where the street racing problem has been termed “epidemic,” 16 deaths and 31 injuries were directly related to illegal street racing in 2001. The city’s attorney’s office prosecuted 147 illegal street racing cases in 1999, 161 in 2000, and 290 in 2001.
- In Florida, 7,216 citations were issued for racing on the highway in 2001.
- In 1999, the Florida Department of Highway and Safety for Motor Vehicles reported 28 accidents related to illegal street racing, with 2 fatalities and 27 injuries. In 2000, the agency reported 39 racing accidents, with 1 fatality and 55 injuries. In 2002, there were 48 racing accidents, 1 fatality, and 60 injuries.
- According to the NHTSA, motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for people between the ages of 16 and 20.
- The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says 5,749 teens died in the United States from motor vehicle crash injuries in 1999.
- Nationwide statistics show that 49 people are injured for every 1,000 who participate in illegal street racing.
Contact an Experienced Dallas Car Accident Attorney
If you or a loved one have been injured in a car crash, contact Thomas J. Henry Law. Our experienced car accident attorneys have experience handling a multitude of injury accidents, no matter how severe the crash or injury. You may be entitled to compensation for your damages if another driver acted negligently. Our firm has the experienced lawyers and financial resources that you need to achieve the real results you deserve.
Call us today for a free case review — attorneys are available 24/7, nights and weekends. If you cannot make it to our office, we can visit you at your home, in the hospital, or at work.
